Adjustable multiple connection



Jan. 9, 1945. A. K. SEEMANN ADJUSTABLE MULTiPLE CONNECTI ON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1943 N N .A RM ma N E VK m R U m ,R A

:IIIWIIIAHI ATTORNEY A. K. SEEMANN I ADJUSTABLE MULTIPLE-CONNECTION Jmi. 9, 1,945.

INVENTOR ARTHUR K. SEEMANN BY ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1943 Patented Jan. 9, 1945 A. AnwsTABLnMULTmI-m connEo'rIoN;

Arthur Ki seemaiinfstamftm;cchm assignor. to

Union Carbid 'Ihis. jinventionwrelates ttoman jiadjustable multiple: connection for coupling a pair ofmembers through which: separate fluids are. passed.

T he invention isparticularlys useful in coupling a-blowpipehead and nozzle betweemwh ich a 'combustible'gas or mixture of gases andta cooling liquid are conveyedyan'd wherein the nozzle .is adapted to be adjusted to different positions,

such as Icy-rotation about the axis ofthe connection, in order to heat. different. types or articles; i i l ,Heretofore; adjustable multiple or dual connections betweenrigid and concentric tubiilar members' have comprised swivel joints-consist ingot. cooperatingconcave and convex: orj flat seats, havingaligned cylindrical passages,

through .each: of which a! separate fluid'isc'onveyed to a corresponding passage inJtheother 1 me'mber. A particular disadvantage of s'uch swivel type joint, especially where the outer tube antinch, lies in thefact .that inherent difliculties are. encountered in attempting to maintain good seating. conditions. --Furthermore, each time the joint is, released or broken to permit adjustment or. ,rotationt ofj one orboth of the. members; the seal effected, by the. members between the con-- centric fluid passages is broken; 1 with undesirable nresults. For instance, ina =.liquidcooled bloyvpipe nozzle, cooling. liquid will flow into a gas, pa sage, or, vice versa, and either 'the gas' passage .will become temporarily contaminated with cooling liquid or gas'willpass into andbe trapped, in the cooling-liquid passage within the nozzle. ,Where the; gas. passage contains gas under tpressure, additional .difliculty is encountered withta poor-jnner seal: owing to leakage ofI the gas into. the; cooling liquidvpa'ssage- Withunfavorable resultsand possibly. somewhaza'rd whemthe gas..is,,combustible'. l

Among the. main, objects :of. this invention are to provide; an, adjustable multiple connection for coupling. a pair, oi, members 1 through-"which" aplurality. of difierent" fluids: are: passed, -which" combinesready; internal accessibility and'adjust exceeds a ,diameter,:of the: order'of" "to'- of i e and Carbon Corporation, a. corhead; and a nozzle, of'a rigid inner tubularcmember for' conducting one fluid such as combustible gas from 'the head to the nozzle; and a lon itudinally compressible outer tubular member surrounding the inner tubular member in spaced relation for conducting another fluid such as cooling Water-between the nozzle and the head. The inner-tubular member is connected to the head by a releasable normally" gas-tight annular joint for changing theposition of the nozzle with respect to the head about thelongitudinal axis of the inner memberwhen the annular'joint is partially released; while the outer tubular memberis'connected'to the head by areleasable normally liquidtight outer joint for exposing the inner joint for adjustment when the outer joint is wholly 'releasedandthe outer member is. 1ongitudinally compressed.

Referringtto thefdrawings: Y

Fig. 1 is a view mainly in cross section, taken along line l ;l of Fig. 2, through the head and nozzle of a blowpipe provided with an adjustable connection constructed in accordance with this invention;

. .Fi'g. 2 is an end view of the adjustable connection of the blowpipetof Fig. 1;

l igu3'is -a-sidewview of the head and nozzle and connection ofFig, 1, illustrating adjustment of the nozzle with respect to the head; and

Figl 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectionalviewtaken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1 through the b1c Dipehead. j i j i j ln general a preferred embodiment-of thisv invention, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises an adjustable I dual connection or coupling byway of example, forms apart of apparatus for flame hardening gears (not shown), wherein ability with maintenance of fluid tightness a'rid whichagas anda liquidate passed; Other' obcjects anddnovel features of. this .invention; will i become apparent, from ,the 'followin gtdescrlptioxi.

Macrame the invention: there" is provided,

its exempe i, thee-combination; with; .:a1.n1cwpipe= f a gear. isErotated v past the heating flames from the-nozzleto' heat thetooth surfaces of the gear to a temperatureat ceabove a critical value,-

whereupon the gear is dropped'into a tank of quenching liquid. Spur gears or pinions (not thento turn the nozzle through to the position shown in Fig. 3, so that the heatingflames head, nozzle, and,

- produced'bytheg' a's jets discharged by tips T will be directed from the side rather than from the end of the blowpipe. v

The connection C permits quick and easy positioning or rotation of the nozzle N. Connection C includes inner conduit means which comprises, essentially, a relatively rigid metal tube Ill adapted to support the nozzle N from head H, and an adjustable annular inner joint including a threaded union I I, which permits the nozzle N and tube Ill to be rotated through any desired angle about the longitudinal axis of the tube, preferably with only a slight release of the joint. Tube I passes a combustible gas or a mixture of gases such as oxygen and acetylene from a passage I2 in head H to a corresponding gas passage I3 in the nozzle N, and is surrounded in spaced concentric relation thereto by relatively flexible conduit means, such as a Sylphon bellows comprising an accordion-like corrugated metal (such as copper) tube I4 and an adjustable and separable joint including a threaded union I5, connecting the tube I4 with the head H. The lower end of the tube I4 is brazed or silver soldered to a flange I6 on the nozzle N, while the upper end of the tube I4 is similarly joined to a collar R which is engaged groove 37 containing a sealing ring or gasket 38 for cooperation with the flat annular bottom surface of the head H. Cooling liquid supplied to the nozzle N through inlet I, circulates through the H; and then through the space between an inner gas pipe I9 and a jacket 20. The water inlet I is placed at the bottom of the'head since this location insures against air pockets in the water cooling system.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, to adjust the nozzle N to a different angular position, the union I is disconnected and the flexible tube I4 is longitudinally compressed, as 'by hand, so that inner union II is accessible. Any cooling liquid within the flexible tube I 4 will flow out, so that the inner union I I may be loosened and the nozzle N turned to any desired position about the axis of the joint, after which the union I I may be tightened without, of course, any cooling liquid flowing into the gas passage, or any gas flowing into the cooling liquid passage since the latter is open to the atmosphere. A snap ring 35 fits an annular groove 36 in the member I0 to prevent the inner union or nut II from slipping down on the tube I0 out of reach of the fingers. After inner'um'on II is tightened to seal thegas passage and hold the nozzle N in its new position, the flexibletube I4 is released and, the outer union I5 is tightened. Thus, the nozzle N is angularly adjusted in a relatively easy and simple manner without any of the disadvantages of prior types of dual ormulti pleconnections.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that this invention provides a multiple connection which is readily adjustable, and in which the tendency for one fluid to flow into the passage for another fluid, when an adjustment is made," is minimized to a highdegree. Although only one embodiment of this invention has been'described and illustrated, it will be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, as shown,

by the union I5. The collar R has an annular the water first enters the head, circulates through the head and then upward through the connection to the blowpipe itself. Itmay be quitejas satisfactory under certain operating conditions to reverse the flow'of water, in which case the inlet connection on the head becomes the outlet of g the system. Furthermore, a portion or all of veyed between said members, comprising-inner conduit means connecting a fluid passage in said first member with a corresponding fluid passage in said second member; relatively flexible conduit means surrounding said inner conduit means and connecting another fluid passage in said first member with a corresponding fluid passage in said second member; an adjustable joint including aum'on in said inner conduit means; and an adjustable and separable joint in said relatively flexible conduit means, whereby said relatively flexible conduit means may be separated at said joint and then flexed to afiord access to said" union in said inner conduit means.

2. A connection for use between a blowpipe head and nozzle, wherein at least a combustible mixture of gases and a cooling liquid are conveyed between said head and said nozzle, said connection comprising inner conduit means connecting a combustible gas passage insaid head ing passage in said head; an adjustable joint including a union in said inner conduit means; and an adjustable and separable joint in said relatively flexible conduit means, whereby said relatively flexible conduit means may be separated at'said joint and compressed to afford access to said union in said inner conduit means.

3. In flame heating apparatus wherein a blowpipe is provided with a' nozzle having a plurality of combustible mixtureoutlets in a side thereof and said nozzle is to be rotated to different positionsforheating difierent types of articles, I

and also wherein a combustible gas is supplied from said blowpipe to said nozzle and a cooling liquid is circulated through said nozzle and then through the remainder of said blowpipe, a connection for use between said nozzle and'the head of said blowpipe, comprising a rigid supporting tube connecting a combustible gas passage in saidhead with a. corresponding passage in said nozzle; a relatively flexible conduit surrounding sa d tube and connecting the outlet of thecool ing liquid passages in-said nozzle with a cooling liquid passage in aid head; an adjustable joint including. a union in said tube; and an adjustable and separable joint in said conduit, whereby said conduit may be separated'at said r to afford access to said union of tube.

sage *in'said head with a corresponding passage in said nozzle; a relatively flexible conduitsur I joint and flexedthe joint in saidd 2,866,809 rounding said tube; an adjustable joint including a union in said tube; and an adjustable and separable joint in said conduit, whereby said conduit may be separated at aid joint and flexed to aflord access to said union of the joint in said tube. i l 5. The combination with a blowpipe head and nozzle, of a rigid inner member, a longitudinally compressible outer member surrounding said inner member in spaced relation, a releasable inner joint includinga union for changing the position of said nozzle with respect to said head about the longitudinal axisof said inner member when the union of said inner joint ispartially released, and a releasable outer joint for exposing said union of the inner jointwhen said outer joint is released and said outer member is tudinally compressed.

6. The combination with a blowpipe head and and nozzle, of a rigid inner member for conducting combustible gas from saidhead to said nozangular position of said nozzle with respect to i said head about the longitudinal axis of said inner member when said inner joint is partially released, and a releasable normally liquid-tight outer joint for exposing said unionof the inner l joint when said outer joint is released and said outer member is longitudinally compressed.

zle, a longitudinally compressible outer member surrounding said inner member in spaced relation for conducting cooling liquid from said nozzle to said head, areleasable normally gas-tight 25 inner joint including a unionfor changing the y y '7. A connection for use between first and second members,wherein a plurality of fluids are conveyed between said members, comprising inner conduit means connecting a fluid passage in said first member with a corresponding fluid passage in said second member; outer conduit means surrounding said inner conduit means and connecting another fluid passagein said first :memf her with a corresponding fluid passage in said second member; an adjustable joint including a union in said inner conduit means: and an adl justable and separable joint in said outer conduit means, at least one of said conduit means being relatively flexible, whereby said outer conduit means maybe separated at the joint and l the flexible conduit means then flexed toafford access to said union in said inner conduit means.

ARTHUR K. SEEMAJNN. 

